The UK will leave the EU at the end of next week and this morning Sajid Javid, the chancellor, is attending his last Ecofin, the regular meeting for EU finance ministers, as a member. In a clip for broadcasters on his way, he was asked about the row generated by his interview with the Financial Times (paywall) at the weekend in which he insisted that that the UK would not stay aligned to EU rules after Brexit. He made two main points.
- Javid claimed that business had had ample warning about the government’s plan not to remain aligned to EU rules. Asked about the reaction to his FT interview, in which he said “there will not be alignment, we will not be a rule taker, we will not be in the single market and we will not be in the customs union”, he said:
We have been very clear now for many months, and of course in our recent election as well, as we leave the EU we will not be in the single market, we will not be in the customs union, and we will not be rule takers.
At the same time, of course, we want a deep, comprehensive free trade agreement, and that’s what we are working on.
This is not wholly true because there were times during the general election campaign when Boris Johnson implied the opposite. For example, a few days before polling day, on a visit to a factory near Sunderland in the north east, Johnson was repeatedly asked, by workers and journalists, about the impact of his Brexit plan on companies like Nissan. He insisted that companies reliant on EU supply chains had nothing to fear. The Newcastle Chronicle has accused Javid of going back on an election pledge made by Johnson.
- Javid dismissed suggestions the government’s ‘no alignment’ policy would damage business. When it was put to him that some firms thought his stance was irresponsible, he claimed that the government was working closely with business. And when asked if his comment to the FT about how some firms would not benefit from Brexit meant the government was prepared to “sacrifice some elements of manufacturing and industry”, he replied:
No, not at all. We look forward with confidence as we strike that new free trade agreement with our European friends, as we strike new free trade agreements across the world, it will be a very important time for British business. And I can see a British economy that continues to go from strength to strength.
This is slightly different from the message he gave to the FT. Speaking to the FT, he said: “There will be an impact on business one way or the other, some will benefit, some won’t.”
Georg von Harrach
(@georgvh).@skynewsmichelle asks @sajidjavid if he is prepared to sacrifice some UK manufacturers over #brexit: “Not at all…I can see a British economy which continues to go from strength to strength”, he replies pic.twitter.com/3VScFAQqHj
We are expecting more Brexit news as the day goes on, not least from the House of Lords, where the government faces more defeats on the EU (withdrawal agreement) bill.
Here is the agenda for the day.
9.30am: Boris Johnson chairs cabinet.
9.30am: Unemployment figures are published.
10am: Labour leadership candidates address the GMB’s 60-strong central executive committee at a private meeting.
11am: Peers resume their debate on the EU (withdrawal agreement bill). The government is facing further defeats following the three votes it lost last night.
11.30am: Andrea Leadsom, the business secretary, takes questions in the Commons.
11.35am: Johnson meets the Egyptian president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, in Downing Street.
12pm: Downing Street lobby briefing.
Around 4pm: The GMB is due to announce who it is nominating for the Labour leadership and deputy leadership.
And in Brussels at some point today European commission officials will be briefing EU27 diplomats on their plans for how to schedule the next phase of the Brexit talks.
As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to post a summary when I wrap up.
You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads.
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